A Funeral For Atticus
by Lyndsey225
Summary: My epilogue for "To Kill a Mockingbird", it is Scout speaking at Atticus' funeral.


Author's note: I do not own "To Kill a Mockingbird", and believe me, no one is paying me. Sorry for any errors, this hasn't gone through a beta. Thanks!

"Atticus, Atticus Finch was the best father Jem and I could have had; he was the best father anyone could have had. We were just the lucky ones." It is a breezy grey sky morning in November. The leaves are falling off of the trees, and a large crowd of mourning people are dabbing their tears away, while standing around the late Atticus Finch's casket.

"My lovely neighbor, Miss Maudie once told me that there are some men in this world who were born to do our unpleasant jobs for us, and Atticus was one of them… She was right." Jean Louise (Scout) added hoarsely. "Atticus was the kindest, most caring, and intelligent person I have ever met." The breeze sped up and blew Jean Louise's hair out of her face, which revealed her eyes welling up with tears. "I wish Atticus wouldn't have left us all so early, but he taught us to treat others as we wish to be treated, so everyone can live their life to the fullest. Today we should be celebrating such a great man." She drew in a deep, cleansing breath, and began again.

"In a way Atticus had to die; it was his last lesson for us, to teach us to truly…truly value our lives." Two tears rolled down the sides of her cheeks. The soft wind is whispering through the trees. Jem bows his head as if in prayer. The congregation has small smiles on tear-drenched faces in the memory of Atticus. Scout takes in another deep breath, and looks down at herself, as if looking for the words. She looks up at the crowd, and starts to form words in her mouth, but nothing comes out. Jem looks up at his sister and walks to her side and takes her hand in his. While he quietly whispers.

"You can do this. You can make it through. You are a strong person, and you have so much courage for standing up here. Atticus would be so proud of you." Jem added.

Still whispering she said "Thank you." Scout looked through the crowd, took a short breath, skimmed the crowd again, and exhaled. "Atticus" she cleared her throat "Atticus was…inspirational, to the fact that he made you want to do what was right and follow your heart about the right choice. Not just to follow what is socially accepted." Jean Louise took a breath and regained her composure. She brushed the hair out of her face and smiled, just a little smile. "I wish Atticus could have been able to come to all of the" she stopped, and searched for the words, barely skipping a beat she began. "birthday parties, and I wish he could walk me down the isle on my wedding day," She motions to Dill, and smiles. The smile quickly vanishes, and she begins again. "but he is gone." Another tear rolled down her red face. "He is gone, and I wish he wasn't, but dying is just another part of life."

"Atticus was the best father anyone could have hoped for. He was open to ideas, and he was the best role model anyone could have hoped for. I am extremely grateful to have been around someone as amazing as him." The smile reappeared on her face. "I love him so much; I don't think I can live without him." Scout looked at Jem and exhaled. Jem was now clutching his expecting wife's shoulder while she dabbed her red eyes, and had his right hand resting on his first child, Aubrey.

"I learned so much from Atticus like, you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it. Or that courage is not a man with a gun in his hand. It's knowing you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do." Scout looks into the distance and bites her lip, then brushes her hair behind her ear. Two more tears hit her lapel. She sniffles. "I wish there were more lessons, or reading at night together, or having the smartest father in the neighborhood. There are too many things. I wish he wasn't gone. I wish…"

They lowered Atticus' casket six feet. Scout walked over to the hole in the ground, looked down, three tears fell and hit the casket, Scout picked up some dirt and tried to release it, but she drew it back to her chest. She turned to Dill, grasped his hand and walked into the breeze.


End file.
